Most Wanted (2006 film)
Most Wanted is a 2006 American action crime thriller film based on the 1976 television series of the same name. Directed by Lee Tamahori and produced by Neal H. Moritz, the film stars Dwayne Johnson, Aaron Ashmore, Aaron Hill, Candace Kroslak, Angela Sarafyan, Mandy Musgrave, Dax Shepard, Jon Cor, David Harbour, Tyler Hoechlin, Christopher McDonald, and Anna Kendrick. It was released worldwide on August 18, 2006 by Paramount Pictures and TriStar Pictures. Plot In Los Angeles, Sergeant Charlie Benson (Aaron Ashmore) and his SWAT team respond to a distress call to a home invasion in Beverly Hills. His partner, Andrew Harris (David Harbour) goes lone wolf and engages one of the robbers resulting in a hostage getting wounded in the process. Both Benson and Harris are demoted from SWAT, though Harris quits the force. A month after the incident, Mayor Dan Stoddard (Christopher McDonald) creates a specialized task force and the chief of police calls on Captain Linc Evers (Dwayne Johnson), a former U.S. Navy SEAL, to lead the task force. Evers puts together a team including himself, Benson, Officer Colin Wyatt (Aaron Hill), Officer Kate Manners (Candace Kroslak), and Officers Paige Cameron (Angela Sarafyan) and Ashley Vince (Mandy Musgrave), both of whom know each other as they recently had a one night stand together. Tobias Grain (Rick Yune) arrives in LA to meet a former business associate. He kills him for withholding half of his share of the money. While driving to the airport, his vehicle is hit by an oncoming truck that sends him into a coma. Detective Marcus Baker (Dax Shepard), and his partner Officer Tom Roybo (Jon Cor), Cast * Dwayne Johnson as Captain Linc Evers * Aaron Ashmore as Sergeant Charlie Benson * Aaron Hill as Officer Colin Wyatt * Candace Kroslak as Officer Kate Manners * Angela Sarafyan as Officer Paige Cameron * Mandy Musgrave as Officer Ashley Vince * Dax Shepard as Detective Marcus Baker * Jon Cor as Officer Tom Roybo * David Harbour as Officer Andrew Harris * Christopher McDonald as Mayor Dan Stoddard * Tyler Hoechlin as Jack Benson * Brendan Fraser as LAPD Captain Paul Franklin * Thom Barry as LAPD Lieutenant Bob Webber * Rick Yune as Tobias Grain/The Multi-slayer * Daisy Marie as Barbara Morgan * Lela Star as Beth Gordon * Anna Kendrick as Laurie Chandler * Camilla Belle as Della Callaghan Production Rich Wilkes came up with a concept based on the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Most_Wanted_(1976_TV_series) 1976 Most Wanted television series] back in late 2003. Antoine Fuqua, Michael Mann, and Roger Spottiswoode were all approached to direct the movie before Lee Tamahori took the job. Vin Diesel was offered the role of Captain Linc Evers, but he declined and Dwayne Johnson was cast. Lucas Black was considered to play Colin Wyatt, but he choose to star in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift instead. Aaron Hill was chosen for the role. Colin Farrell was cast as Charlie Benson, but had to drop out due to filming Miami Vice. Aaron Ashmore replaced him. Mandy Musgrave, who is best known for her role as Ashley Davis on the teen drama South of Nowhere, was chosen to portray Ashley Vince. Musgrave wasn't so sure about starring in the film at first until she read the script. Soundtrack Paul Leonard-Morgan composed the film s score. Release Most Wanted debuted on August 18, 2006. The film opened in 3,555 theaters and had some late-night screenings on August 17. Home media The film was released on DVD on November 14, 2006, in both widescreen and fullscreen formats. The DVD came supplied with deleted scenes and a gag reel. The Blu-ray version was released on November 17, 2006. Reception Box office Before the film s release, industry analysts estimated that Snakes on a Plane would lead the weekend box office (August 18-20) with it s opening to be between US$20-30 million due to the Internet hype surrounding the film. However, Most Wanted made $33.4 million in it s opening weekend and opened at #1 ahead of Snakes on a Plane, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby s third weekend, World Trade Center s second, fellow new release Geno and Gurri, and Step Up s second.August 18-24, 2006. Box Office Mojo The film s international release opening was around $46 million where it s biggest markets were in France ($7,999,915), the United Kingdom ($10,994,471), and Spain ($2,108,743).Most Wanted (2006) International. Box Office Mojo By the end of it's run, Most Wanted grossed $100,409,663 domestically, and $105,116,400 internationally for a worldwide total of $205,526,063. Critical response The film received mixed reviews. Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a rating of 47%, based on 114 reviews, with an average score of 4.98/10. The critical consensus reads, "". Metacritic gives the film a weighted average score of 47 out of 100, based on 27 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". It received 3 out of 5 stars from Allmovie. Accolades References Category:Movies Category:PG-13 rated films Category:Original Film films Category:2006 films Category:Films Category:LGBT films Category:TriStar Pictures films Category:Paramount Pictures films